Reviews summary

22
Traveller reviews from Holiday Watchdog

One Of Our Best Holidays!

5

Brilliant

by Yvonne M

Reviewed Mon 5th of January 2015

"We thought we would give the Hesperia Hotel a try, as the information received from our travel agents sounded very appealing. We are glad to say that we have no regrets whatsoever with our choice, we only wish that we could have stayed longer.

The hotel was clean and spacious, and despite a lot of people being there we always had somewhere to sit and enjoy the many beautiful views that the hotel had to offer.

The staff were excellent, particularly Pierre who looked after us very well.

The food in the buffet lounge was wonderful and was full of variety and excellent taste. Our bedroom was kept nice and clean on a daily basis.

If you want a holiday filled with relaxation and enjoyment, then the Hesperia Hotel is the place to be.

"

Holiday details

Travel date: Mon 5th of January 2015

Overpriced and Inept

1

Awful

by Dave A

Reviewed Mon 15th of October 2012

"My family and I booked a 10 day holiday through 'Sovereign' which cost over five thousand pounds!!! It was overpriced and what was reported to be luxury holiday was a complete disaster. The sewage smell from our room, poor service form staff and additional charges for house hold items was enough for me to check out from the hotel and seek alternate accommodation. Sovereigns customer relations I found them to be inept, unprofessional and slow at responding to emailsâ¦. My advice avoid at all cost!!

"

Holiday details

Travel date: Sun 14th of October 2012

Rating breakdown

3
Location

2
Beach

2
Room

3
Pool

1
Service

1
Value

2
Food

1
Cleanliness

MUST GO

5

Brilliant

by angela1

Reviewed Tue 28th of August 2012

"I wrote a review on this Hotel before, and I have never ever wrote a review in my life. Just returned from a Thursday - Monday. Went with Monarch Airlines which were fantastic and Terminal 2 has smoking area and in Lanzarote when returned there is a bar with outside tables were you can have a drink and wait for plane..and somke :-).
Hotel is exactly like you see on photos - but better. All staff and are friendly and very helpful. The food is devine and that is breakfast and dinner - so much choice all clean and outside and inside tables - men must wear long trousers for dinner - which I think is a big plus as dont fancy getting all dressed up and sat with someone in speedo's eating his tea:-). The location is brilliant.. 3 levels of pool areas the bottom one which has a bar of its own is very quiet and you can stroll to the beach in 2min - also there is a floating Jetty - which is great to either watch the fish, people dive in or just a little stroll. 5 Mins further stroll will take you to a local spa and other nick nack shops but the are also behind the front Hugo Boss etc etc etc.. and all the staff in there are cheery and glad to see you. - I have been to a lot of high end hotels around the world and this is by far my Favorite. YOU MUST GO if going to Lanzarote and want a better class of hotel without paying a fortune. - PS Worth a taxi ride to old part of Porta del carmen.. lots of beechside resturants, shops and lively bars from - trendy cool bars to a fun Irish bar - 10 euros. Hired a 250 motorbike from hotel - GOT GREAT TAN! and cost 30euros - hotel sorted for us. PPS If you have kids they Kids club is ALL DAY and the STAFF are BRILLIANT although alot of the kids were spanish when we went and if you have loud kids this is not the place and didnt even know the kids were there. Disco for kids and alot of activitys seem to be inside. Hope this helps anyone - be glad to know someone read this and it helped. If you decide to get a taxi from Airport to hotel it cost 28 Euros... Happy holidays.
"

Holiday details

Travel date: Tue 28th of August 2012

Rating breakdown

5
Location

5
Beach

5
Room

5
Pool

5
Service

5
Value

5
Food

5
Cleanliness

FANTASTIC

5

Brilliant

by angela1

Reviewed Mon 16th of July 2012

"This Hotel is Fantastic - the Food and service was excellent. Will deffinatly be going again.
Also the other end of Lanzarote is very windy - this isnt.

Holiday details

"We stayed at the Hesperia for a week in September leading up to our WEDDING.

At 4.15pm on one day having been in the jacuzzi we decided to sleep, despite the door being locked, our wedding week and DO NOT DISTURB sign out, a staff member came in, woke us up and REFUSED TO LEAVE until one of us had signed a form saying we did not want the room cleaned!
The following day, at 9.15pm (!!!) I was taking a shower, the side door open to the room hallway, a staff member again came in whilst my (new, to be) wife was asleep and put chocolates and towels in the hallway near the door. At this point my wife (to be) and I went down to complain to two different staff who were ignorant and unhelpful and said "someone will speak to you tomorrow". No one did. I emailed Josep Serrafo, the manager of the Hesperia hotel TWICE, whose name and email was on a weclome letter/card left in our room which stated any member of staff would be willing to help with problems, he never returned or acknowledged the emails either.

Finally having been palmed off enough by staff we complained to our wedding organiser who got the duty manager to apologise at the point WE WERE LEAVING THE HOTEL for our honeymoon.

My final complaint to Josep also mentioned the following, none of which were addressed before we left:

With respect to standards;
-All lighting on nearby emergency stairwell is off, zero visibility. Staff ignored this complaint too, made at least 3 times.
-During day young child ran around screaming in nappy, throwing cars close to guests, across the stage in the lobby - this was not dealt with. This occurred for around 3/4 hour.
-Free wifi is impossible to connect to as the signal is too weak in our room (but ok in the lobby).

Basically the Hesperia Lanzarote is a 5 star hotel with 1 star service. Having said all of this, our actual wedding at the Hesperia, when the wedding planner was there on the day we left, was perfect.

Recommended for wedding location but not to stay (if you value your privacy or want complaints listened to)."

Holiday details

Travel date: Fri 23rd of September 2011

Rating breakdown

3
Beach

3
Room

3
Pool

2
Dining

2
Amenities

2
Food

My family and I have just been to this h...

5

Brilliant

by H FLYNN

Reviewed Tue 14th of August 2007

"My family and I have just been to this hotel for 1 week and we could not fault it! The staff were excellent as was the food, accommodation, entertainment, facilities. They have a huge army of staff that work 24 hours a day and cater for your every whim.

The food in the buffet lounge was out of this world and they had different themes for each night that catered for the different nationalities of the guests. If we ordered wine and then wanted to change seats they would come and carry your wine for you to where ever you wanted to sit.

Beds were changed daily, hotel cleaned daily. The out on a free shuttle bus daily to Puerto Del Carmen.

Everything about it was fabulous and I would recommend it to anyone. Some of the reviews that I have read are shocking; it makes me wonder if we are talking about the same Hotel.
"

Holiday details

Travel date: Tue 14th of August 2007

My boyfriend and I stayed at the hotel f...

1

Awful

by ladylaura27

Reviewed Mon 30th of April 2007

"My boyfriend and I stayed at the hotel for 1 week commencing 12th April. I was appalled by the service and not happy at all with my stay there for reasons as follows;

Room did not have sea view and instead had a pool view; I have photographs from my balcony as proof of this. Despite me booking and paying for a sea view, even upon complaining, we were told we would have to pay more to be moved.

Room was not up to standard, had to complain to hotel about cleaning facilities to get them to clean room better, floor on balcony not cleaned, dirty ash tray lying in balcony from previous guests.

Beach front La Caleta restaurant was closed yet this was not stated on any promotional material including website and this is the reason we chose the hotel over others as it looked so pretty.

Building work was going on in hotel waking us up extremely early most mornings- mainly down by La Caleta restaurant.

Entertainment in hotel was poor - a violinist that was depressing and not catering to tastes of wide range of audience and one night an Argentinean dance group in awful costumes, very poor.

Food quality was poor - pool bar sold baguettes at a very high price that were not nice to eat.

Also not very accommodating with food requests despite it being a 5 star i.e. they sold ham baguettes and they sold salad baguettes but they wouldnât sell you a ham salad baguette! Similarly they sold ham and cheese sandwiches but refused to put it on a baguette for you!

Hotel does not match up to 5 star standard - had to request an iron which took 24 hrs to arrive and then had to chase this up myself as they did not deliver it to me. This is bad service and an iron should be available in a hotel of that quality.

Service in bar poor - ordered a bottle of champagne and was given no ice bucket. Disgraceful and embarrassing.

Hotel info available from reception states 3 pools heated- only 1 was, the rest were very cold.

TV in room was faulty as per repair man who came to try and fix it and so we could not receive the English speaking channels we should have got meaning every night we had to put up with the poor quality entertainment in the bar or go out, not what you expect from a 5 star hotel.

When I complained to hotel I was told manager would contact me next day - he didnât, I had to go find him the next day. When I complained to manager I had to ask him what he was going to do to make amends (he told me himself he was horrified at some of the incidents I had mentioned to him) instead of him offering a solution.

He promised to send a bottle of champagne to my room that day but instead we received a bottle of cheap fizzy wine. I had to go and complain again for this to be altered stating I found this insulting. This upset me greatly.

Exit to marina of Puerto Calero was poorly lit from hotel and due to building work at exit quite dangerous in the evening as there was sand all piled up that you couldnât see and that I fell into and there was also building equipment left lying overnight.

Beach at hotel was rocky and nowhere to lie, apart from the man made part of 4 or so sun loungers the hotel had put out - not pretty and not nice.

Puerto Calero itself consisted of a marina with approx 15 or so restaurants all selling the same type of food at around about the same prices (pasta, chicken dish, steak dish etc) there are no bars only restaurant bars and I found this disappointing.

Everything I read before I went talked about how beautiful and exclusive the marina is so I was extremely disappointed when I saw it.

Don't get me wrong, itâs not dirty or ugly or anything but itâs certainly not anything to write home about either! All in the area is quite average to look at (unless you are a boat spotter) and there is not much to do at all.

I also think itâs quite overpriced for what you get and I have seen nicer scenery at home in Scotland."

Holiday details

Travel date: Mon 30th of April 2007

We went to the Hesperia Lanzarote for a...

4

Good

by Â I, MP, HÂ Gorgue

Reviewed Thu 24th of August 2006

"We went to the Hesperia Lanzarote for a whole week and stayed in a Junior Suite for our Honey Moon. The room was clean and the shower fantastically large, the jacuzzi in our suite was also very nice after a day spent running around the island.

We really appreciated the fact that there area lot of place to relax in the various swimming pools areas. The buffet, which is included in the half board, is excellent. We also tried their Italian restaurant twice (inc. in the half board price), loved it, the most romantic place for diner is the restaurant they have at the bottom of the hotel, by the sea: good service, very intimate, with excellent food.

Every night we stayed at the bar listening to live music, especially enjoying the pianist, he was really good, playing classical and jazz, adapting to the audiences taste.

We also had booked an hour massage; it was delicious and I did not want to get up afterward. The spa facility is nice, it will keep you busy for half a day. The gym has enough machines, and they are very modern.

This was an excellent value for money deal. I would recommend it to any couple looking for a quite and relaxing stay.

"

Holiday details

Travel date: Thu 24th of August 2006

My boyfriend and I stayed here as a brea...

5

Brilliant

by JÂ Bruce

Reviewed Wed 28th of December 2005

"My boyfriend and I stayed here as a break from all the hard work and lack of quality time we'd had from a hectic few months. It was just a 'one-night to escape' treat where we booked one of the suites, and I have got to say,... It was PERFECT.
We enjoyed our stay so much and managed to relax and de stress =)
As soon as you step foot in this hotel you can sense the elegance and all of the staff are friendly and helpful.

Our suite was stunning, we would have lived in it forever -given half the chance! We had 3 balconies with stunning views over the hotel pools and the sea, which was just beautiful when lit up at night; we had his and her sinks with a Jacuzzi bath and a huge walk-in body blasting jet power shower! He he,.. and a separate cloakroom. The lounge area was gorgeous too, with a huge L-shaped sofa and the decor is funky and modern but classy too. One of the best bits,.. THE BED!,.. it was HUGE,.. (we are talking 2 king-sized beds put together!)... covered in fluffy pillows and blankets, it felt like an eternity you had to roll across for just to go to the bathroom! He he.

We managed to get down to the spa and have a dip there, then treated ourselves to a full body aromatherapy massage each,... all I can say is I would recommend it to ANYONE. Felt like a new gal when it was over.

The restaurants are again lovely, the quality and selection of food is second to none, ... just soo much to choose from! Many hotels you get a buffet and there is the stereotype that the food is awful, but the Hesperia provides quality that reassures you they deserve everyone of their 5 stars and you appreciate just why they are considered one of the greatest hotels in the world.

The piano bar is again exquisite, with live mellow jazz on some nights perfect for that after dinner drink with your partner.

As you probably guessed, we thoroughly enjoyed it, this hotel is perfect for a romantic get-away and the chance to escape and enjoy the finer things in life. I would recommend it to anyone. xxx"

Holiday details

Travel date: Wed 28th of December 2005

I stayed at the Hesperia Lanzarote for m...

4

Good

by M JÂ Harrington

Reviewed Tue 22nd of November 2005

"I stayed at the Hesperia Lanzarote for my 30th birthday for one week in a suite, costing Â£1240 for two adults.

The hotel has a quiet location, which is probably best for adult couples (without disability issues due to constant differences in levels and the walk to the marina). The view along the coast and out to sea is lovely.

My suite was nice but was poorly cleaned (found several live cockroaches, spiders webs etc) and the finish was shabby. View was great.

Anyone else that has stayed in other 5* hotels will understand exactly what I mean when I say that the rooms are nice, but lack the quality and 'polish' of a true 5* hotel, as does the service. It is nonetheless great value for money in comparison with other hotels.

I would recommend it, but if you are a frequent 5* hotel guest and demand true 5* treatment and quality, look elsewhere!
"

Holiday details

Travel date: Tue 22nd of November 2005

Just Returned (20th OCT 05) from the Hes...

4

Good

by P O'Connell

Reviewed Fri 30th of September 2005

"Just Returned (20th OCT 05) from the Hesperia Lanzarote. Had taken a last minute booking from the Web, 2 adults, 2 kids (4years old & 8 months old). - Got this at Â£1399 Half board for the week (Thomas Cook).

We must admit that the Hotel does offer most of the luxuries you expect from a 5 star, however it does lack a little of something that is difficult to actually pinpoint. The Hotel was great for Mum and dad wanting a relaxing break however there was not a great deal to entertain the 4 yr old. We did actually expect this so its not that we can blame the hotel on this point. There is a kiddies club but it isnât totally supervised.

I think that they should make the Hotel adults only, as we discovered having an excited toddler made us uneasy around the pool area. This was due to the vibes that seemed to be coming from some of the other guestâs.

The nightly entertainment is superb, if you like to listen to a Harp or pianist. There are advertised a variety of bars listed in the brochure however we found that some nights when the hotel is quiet they tend to only have the Piano bar open.

Food in the hotel is fantastic, however the buffet does seem to get a little repetitive, they just tweak the dish the next night and re-name it. I think this does go for most Hotels though. Fish Lovers will be in Heaven with the variety available. - I was.

Take note if you are half board you will pay a supplement to eat in any of the a la carte restaurants. The food was good enough to stick with the buffet though.

Puerto Calero is an absolutely beautiful harbour, lots of Spanish bars and restaurants. Reasonably priced food and drink. We were also surprised with the price of the drinks in the Hesperia, very reasonable for a 5 star hotel.

Room - fantastic, spacious, even with a cot and additional single bed.

Overall I would state that it is a great Hotel that would be suited more towards couples looking for some exclusive relaxing time away. If there are any baby sitters out there willing to have our kids for a week I would definitely return to the Hesperia (albeit not paying the full asking price in the TC brochure).
"

Holiday details

Travel date: Fri 30th of September 2005

On the spur of the moment we booked a la...

5

Brilliant

by N J R Radcliffe

Reviewed Wed 31st of August 2005

"On the spur of the moment we booked a late availability bargain. âLate availabilityâ meant 4 days notice. âBargainâ turned out to mean a ridiculously affordable week, and we were sure there had to be a catch. Well, now we are back home and we still havenât found one.

The Hesperia deserves every one of its 5 stars. It is an extremely elegant and stylish hotel in an ideal situation. Although it is large and very modern (only 2 years open), it succeeds also in being welcoming and even homely. The rooms are elegant and spotless, with twice daily maid service. The bathrooms (and the restrooms/loos/âtoiletsâ around the hotel) are well designed, well maintained and absolutely fit for purpose. (The shower in our bathroom would shame the average British âpower showerâ. It could blast you across the room and through the wall if you arenât prepared!)

We booked bed and breakfast, planning to try the local restaurants. Those around the harbour (once purely a fishing haven, now also a very impressive marina) are mostly very good - the Taverna del Puerto did us proud - so at the Hesperia we can simply recommend the Caleta restaurant, which gave us as good a steak and a lamb cutlet as anyone could demand. Excellent meat, cooked to perfection. The Timanfaya pudding is also to die for - or do I mean deadly? Breakfasts are excellent as are the lunch menus at the two splendid pool bars. We had 2 evening meals from room service which also hit the spot.

All the staff we met were extremely professional, helpful and friendly. It was especially good to see that departmental managers routinely âmucked inâ when demand was high or staff, for any reason, were short.

We thought this is as good a holiday hotel as we have stayed in - and in many ways the best. Its very few faults are so trivial, they arenât worth mentioning here. (Do you really want to hear about the bog roll holders?) Whereas the good points are too numerous to list. My wife tells me the pools (she didnât manage to try all of them) are fab. The grounds are fab. The spa, Iâm told, is fab. The bars are fab. Everything is...pretty damn good. Iâm off to book a fortnight."